Hearing loss Board decisions

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to his active service, and therefore denied his claim for service connection.

The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss is not related to service or an incident of service origin, including noise exposure. The Board finds the evidence does not support a finding that the Veteran incurred hearing loss due to any incident of his military service.

The Board denied service connection for right ear hearing loss and residuals of traumatic brain injury, but granted service connection for left knee retropatellar pain syndrome and right ankle sprain residuals.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for a bilateral hearing loss disability must be remanded to obtain additional medical evidence and opinions.

The Veteran's right ear hearing loss did not manifest during service and is not causally related to the Veteran's noise exposure during service. Therefore, the claim for service connection for right ear hearing loss has been denied.

The Veteran's service-connected bilateral hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since March 2012. The Board finds that the evidence does not support a compensable rating at any point during the appeal period.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities prevent him from obtaining and maintaining substantially gainful employment due to his bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, diabetes mellitus II, insomnia disorder, and prostate cancer. The Board finds that the criteria for a TDIU pursuant to 38 C.F.R. § 4.16(b) are met.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for service connection for bilateral hearing loss and determined that new and material evidence has been received. The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is found to be related to his in-service noise exposure, meeting VA's definition of a hearing loss disability under 38 C.F.R. § 3.385. Service connection for PTSD with depressive disorder, NOS, lumbar spine disability, cervical spine disability, and neurological disabilities of the left upper extremity and both lower extremities is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for an updated VA examination to assess the current nature of his hearing loss disability.

The Board has found that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss disability is etiologically related to acoustic trauma sustained during active service, and thus grants entitlement to service connection.

The Board found that the Appellant's back disability is not related to his military service and denied the claim.

The Board has restored the Veteran's original disability rating of 40 percent for bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, finding that there was no improvement in his condition under ordinary conditions of life and work.

The Veteran's claims for hypertension and bilateral hearing loss are dismissed as the Veteran requested withdrawal of these issues.,Service connection for lung cancer and diabetes mellitus, type II, is granted on a presumptive basis due to exposure to herbicides during service.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is related to his exposure to noise trauma during service and grants service connection for this condition.

The Veteran's bilateral sensorineural hearing loss was rated at 60 percent prior to May 27, 2016 and remains at 60 percent thereafter. The Board denied an increased rating for the condition.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for increased ratings for tinnitus, PTSD, and bilateral hearing loss. The maximum schedular rating of 10 percent was assigned for each condition.

The Veteran is granted service connection for tinnitus, but denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss disability.

The Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus are being remanded due to incomplete medical records and the need for a new VA examination.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and restrictive right lobe condition are at least in equipoise with respect to their onset during service, warranting service connection.,Service connection is granted for bilateral hearing loss and a restrictive right lobe condition.

The Veteran's hearing loss has been rated as noncompensable since April 26, 2011. The VA examinations conducted during the appeal period showed pure tone thresholds consistent with Level I hearing loss in both ears.